Goal #1: Learn more about the field of oncology and if it something that I want to pursue
To do so I will need to...
Read reports about recent findings
Working in REDCap to review and record data
Work on the 4 ongoing projects of the site (3 brain tumor projects and one leukemia)
My Progress
Currently, I am exploring the cogntive side to oncology more than the technical/scientific side. I have been recruited to work on one project in depth (Feasibility of a Cognitive Intervention in Pediatric Survivors of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia) and was just recruited to start calling patients for the Household Material Hardship project. I am also under the process of writing portions of the research paper for the Health-Related Quality of Life and Social Determinants of Health with Children with Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors, which has already been completed.
I hope to start working more on REDCap and Censure in the spring semester as well as have a more stable work schedule.
Goal #2: Build my soft skills in communication with patients and coworkers
To do so I will need to...
Do clinical work every Monday
Do weekly meetings to touch in
Call patients
My Progress
I have been able to do clinical work and weekly meetings throughout the fall, but I have not been able to progress as much as I hoped in this goal. However, there will be more focus in the spring term on calling and recruiting patients. I hope to also attend clinics more whenever my site head is on call.
Goal #3: Learn how healthcare professionals make logical decisions in challenging scenarios
To do so I will need to...
Attend Wednesday meetings to discuss different cases of the oncology board
Work in clinic every week
Be involved in projects that work with the education system that taking surveys, conducting interviews, calling patients, etc.
My Progress
I have been involved in one particular study that deals with adolescents from different backgrounds. The approach to talking to each patient may differ based on their age, character, personality, etc. and I have been able to see that firsthand and even converse with some of the adolescents. I have not been able to attend the oncology board meetings much but hopefully will be able to do so more this semester. This goal has been the least progressed of all three and I plan to overcome this by attending more assessments for my project in neurocognitive training and calling patients for other projects.
My initial goal was to get accepted into medical school and enter the field of oncology or neurology. I have a fascination with the nervous system as well as curing cancer so I would love to continue to research, diagnose, and treat in these areas of study.
I am very sure of this career option; I used to want to go to law school but as soon as I started learning more in science about the human body systems, neuroscience, and oncology I fell in love with knowing more. I want to help people diagnosed with serious conditions and be the reason they live another day.
As of now, this goal has not changed much, but I am more certain that I want to work in pediatrics within this field. Being recruited on a cognitive research study specifically focusing on children who are cancer survivor patients was really eye opening for me and I want to do my part to help. I also want to work more with underprivileged kids, whether it be from an economic standpoint, or a location standpoint. I am a strong believer in equity, and what is really great about the healthcare field is that the science part is only a small portion of it; in reality there are so many more foundational pieces that are often disregarded, including who has access to health care and whether or not they can afford it. On top of this, I still believe that communication. resilience, responsibility, time management, and problem solving are key skills for my career path.
I now have two more aspirations when it comes to my career; for one, I would like to work for Doctors Without Borders for some time and help wherever people need medical assistance. In the long term, I would like to open my own clinic; whether it will be focused on specifically cancer/oncology or a general clinic is still being decided.
One of the biggest things I can do as a premed student right now is get good grades and build my resume, two things I have continuously working on. I maintain a consistent study schedule while also juggling work and extracurriculars. These include executive board positions on two clubs, my LHSI internship and doing more hours/tasks for this, and trying to find another research position with IUSM.
I usually spend my summer traveling back home to Dubai and Lebanon, where it is nearly impossible for pre-med students to actually have a job and work. To overcome this, I plan to try and continue working remotely in however possible for the positions I already am involved in. The next couple of years will be very critical to whether or not I get accepted into medical school so while I strive to excel in my job positions and be a well-rounded individual, I also want to make sure I am exceling in my classes and gettin a good GPA to make me a competitive candidate.
My internship has helped me have a better idea of the field of oncology and has gotten to me love it more these last couple of months. What I have really enjoyed is the fact that it mixes both clinical and research into a job and there is so much room to interact with people of different backgrounds. I have started to realize more that the field is very mentally and emotionally draining which is something that concerns me a little but i think the positives overweigh any negatives. I do think that I am still considering other ways to work in, such as neurology, but for now, I am set on the medical field.
I feel somewhat confident in using my self-knowledge and preferences to make career-related goals, however I think I still have yet so much to learn. Everyday I work in my internship I learn something new, whether it be about the job or me as a person.